Success for parasite-counting drench initiative

Fecpak is well on the way to developing a new faecal egg counting kit for deer.

Meanwhile, the PGG Wrightson-owned Dunedin company has had a huge endorsement from the European Union, where its technology was part of a $NZ7.25 million parasite management trial and which resulted in a major reduction in drench use.

Fecpak, together with AgResearch and Deer Industry New Zealand, was trialling testing processes on the Invermay deer farm, and Fecpak International manager Greg Mirams said he hoped to know the results of those tests by the end of the year.

Drench-resistant worms in deer was a growing problem, and Mr Mirams said deer farmers have relied on products to control internal parasites containing moxidectin, of which there were very few.

Fecpak worm testing kits could not be used across animal species without modification, he said.

Intestine size differed, as did the moisture content of faecal matter, and digestion and stomach functions in browsing animals like deer and goats also differed to grazing animals.

So far Fecpak has systems for sheep, goats, cattle, horses and alpacas.

Meanwhile, Fecpak, which was bought by PGG Wrightson in 2006, appears to have found a receptive market in Europe as farmers make more effective use of drench.

The company has been quietly establishing its presence in Europe, which now appeared to be paying off, with favourable comment from scientists, veterinarians and farmers.

Last week it was basking in the success of the European Union Parasol project, launched following concerns about the sustainability of the current approach to managing parasites, the impact it was having on drench resistance, food and environmental residues, animal welfare and sustainable food production.

Mr Mirams said trial results in the United Kingdom showed drench treatments were on average reduced 35% while farmers found the production was maintained or improved.

In some cases the number of treatments increased for different stock classes, but overall 91% of farmers said they had a greater understanding of the parasite situation on their farms after using Fecpak testing kits and 79% that it had been financially beneficial.

Mr Mirams said the Fecpak system met the logic test for farmers.

"When farmers see a problem on their farm they naturally respond to it, like only spraying thistles when they see them. It's the same with our technology, it just gives them the ability to see the parasites and make decisions based on what they see.

"Farmers using our system experience a significant shift in how they manage parasites on their farms. Parasites are a biological organism, they change and alter as the climate does, along with other factors.

"Through using Fecpak technology, the farmers on the Parasol project were able to react to these fluctuations, alter the timing of treatments and minimise the impact of parasites on their properties with no loss in production," he said.